A MongoDB Box makes your database portable and modular. You can also add other variables like database permissions to the Box.

An NGINX Box allows you to encapsulate your HTTP web server configurations and settings making them reusable for more than one app.

A Chef Solo Box deploys Chef Solo on your instance and let you run a Chef cookbook

A Git Box allows your instance to have an integration with your source code repository which can be used for continuous integration, for example.

So really a Box can be an OS layer, an app server, a database, a queuing service etc.

We’ve even provided some starter Boxes for you to kick off with. Sign up for our free edition and try them out.

But Why should I Use Boxes?

Great Question!

Boxes are the core building blocks in ElasticBox. The way you define applications in ElasticBox is by “stacking” Boxes, making it an easy and modular process. But the real value of this process is that Boxes are reusable, shareable, and mobile across all major cloud environments.

So what does that really mean for you? It means if you were using ElasticBox and created a Java Box for an app last month, you can just use that Box again for the app you’re working on now. And you can even deploy your current app on a different cloud than the one you used for your last app. If that wasn’t enough, you can even share that Java Box with your colleagues for their apps.